Katie Drummond has transformed Wired into a Condé Nast success story by embracing aggressive political reporting that tech critics deride. Since becoming editor in 2023, she's grown paid subscribers by 200,000 and increased subscription revenue 24% in the U.S. alone. Drummond's approach landed major scoops about Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and uncovered young engineers given key roles in the project.

Her coverage has drawn fire from tech figures like Trae Stephens, who called Wired 'irreparably broken' after a controversial February cover. Former Wired editors Keith Grossman and Chris Anderson have also criticized the magazine's shift from techno-optimism to skepticism. But Drummond remains unapologetic, telling critics they're 'willfully ignorant or a complete idiot' for not understanding why Wired covers politics.

The strategy appears to be working. Wired now employs 80 journalists with plans to hire a dozen more this year and was recently named a finalist for general excellence in the National Magazine Awards. Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch praised Wired's growth, noting that 'when the journalism leads, readers respond and support it.' Drummond's mandate is clear: ensure Wired survives by breaking news that makes the publication indispensable, even if it means alienating parts of the tech community.